WATERLOO -- Some wear pink, others are blue. Some number many, others just a few.

Teams riding this year's RAGBRAI route vary so much, about the only thing they hold in common is the fact they all straddle bicycles.

For most members, the teams function as a social club where friends join up a few times a year to share a common passion. Other teams view participation as an avenue to raise money or to express a little creativity day jobs don't allow.

"When we are talking about going out on RAGBRAI, we are talking about camaraderie, challenge and just having a good time," said Leigh Zeitz, a member of Team Flamingo.

The Waterloo team has had a presence on RAGBRAI since 1983. The name was coined accidentally, though.

The team's founder, Mike Knapp, was driving a support van for his son and a group of friends during their first full ride. Knapp put a pink flamingo on the van to distinguish it from hundreds of others, and the name stuck.

Knapp also became addicted. He's ridden the full route every year since then.

Members ran with the flamingo theme, dressing in flamboyant costumes including pink feather boas. Their hijinks even led Knapp to dye his beard pink in 2005 after losing a bet to another team member, Deb Shoopman.

Other costumed teams roll out each summer as well. Locally, there are the Killer Bees, who dress in black and yellow outfits. Team Tutu members have tutus on their helmets, and the Elvises bring a bit of 1970s Las Vegas to the ride.

"It's kind of like a rolling Mardi Gras and Halloween combined together," Knapp said.

Besides costumes, Team Flamingo members also have nicknames, like Big Bird (Knapp) and Z-Bird (Zeitz), as a way to bring riders together.

Building camaraderie like that is key on the road when someone is looking for a place to stay, food to eat or just a familiar face, said Randy Krug, RAGBRAI director for the Rainbow Cyclists.

"That's probably the best part," Krug said.

Rainbow Cyclists also have a long RAGBRAI history, going back more than 27 years. The team is named after Rainbow Drive, the first street to connect Waterloo and Cedar Falls, Krug said.

Over the years, the Rainbow Cyclists became among the largest on the route. This year, 162 members are riding. About half the team members are from the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area, Krug said.

Rainbow and Flamingo team members ride throughout the year as a way to keep in shape. The week before RAGBRAI, Rainbow riders had a century ride, Krug said, logging 100 miles.

RAGBRAI isn't just fun and games: Some teams also view it as a fundraising opportunity.

Team Flamingo uses RAGBRAI to collect money for Grin and Grow Day Care, where Knapp is executive director.

"It's an escape from our normal work days," he said. "But at the same time, we wanted to do something that is more meaningful."

Knapp said the ride has generated more than $80,000 for Grin and Grow since team members started taking pledges in the late 1980s. The money helped build handicap accessible playground equipment and to provide scholarships for low-income families.

Team Peacock, the official team of Upper Iowa University, started on a whim two years ago, said Daryl Grove, one of the original members and the college's student leadership and activities director. Since then, the team grown into a new tradition.

Twenty-seven members in bright blue Upper Iowa jerseys will hit the road again this year. Most of the team is made up of faculty and staff, including the school's president, Allan Walker.

Team Peacock uses the ride to generate dollars for scholarships and to publicize the university. Each rider is charged with raising $500 before embarking, Grove said. This year, the team's efforts put a major dent in reaching the overall goal of $70,000 for scholarships.

"We've really put a charge into making Upper Iowa University affordable for students," Grove said.

The Rainbow Cyclists are also lending a hand to charity this year. They will raffle off a Trek Livestrong Madone Bike during the Cedar Falls RAGBRAI stop Wednesday. The idea is a nod to one of the more famous RAGBRAI riders this year, Lance Armstrong, seven-time Tour de France winner.

"Since Lance was going to be here, we thought we'd roll with it," Krug said.

Contact Josh Nelson at (319) 291-1565 or josh.nelson@wcfcourier.com.